Hanoi
The city is located on the right bank of the Red River. Hanoi is located
north of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly called Saigon.
October 2010 will officially mark 1000 years of the establishment of the city.
As the capital of Vietnam for almost a thousand years, Hanoi is considered to be one of cultural centres of Vietnam,
where most of Vietnamese dynasties had left behind their imprint. Even though some relics have not survived through wars and time,
the city still has many interesting cultural and historic monuments for visitors and residents alike. Even when the nation's capital moved to
Hue under the Nguyen dynasty in 1802, the city of Hanoi continued to flourish, especially after the French took control in 1888 and modeled the
city's architecture to their tastes, lending an important aesthetic to the city's rich stylistic heritage. The city boasts more than 1,000 years of history,
and that of the past few hundred years has been well preserved.
Hanoi hosts more cultural sites than any city in Vietnam, including over 600 pagodas and temples.
The Old Quarter, near Hoan Kiem lake, has the original street layout and architecture of old Hanoi.
At the beginning of the 20th century the city consisted of only about 36 streets,
most of which are now part of the old quarter. Each street then had merchants and households
specialized in a particular trade, such as silk traders, jewellery, etc. The street names
nowadays still reflect these specializations, although few of them remain exclusively in their original commerce.
The area is famous for its small artisans and merchants, including many silk shops. Local cuisine specialties as well as several clubs and bars can
be found here also. A night market in the heart of the district opens for business every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening
with a variety of clothing, souvenirs and food.
In the Spring, that is when they have the Tet holiday (Lunar New Year’s Eve). Flowers are the most beautiful during this time of the year. The weather starts to warm up with light rain here and there during the week. Hanoians believe that these light rains bring prosperity and luck for the New Year.
The Summer, on the other hand, is quite intolerable. The heat alone would be alright but there is the humidity which would start to manifest in the air since Spring. Visitors also have to be very careful with mosquitoes because there are a lot in Hanoi due to the level of moisture in the air and the temperature. Hanoi has a good climate for many insects to proliferate, not just mosquitoes.
There is something unique about Hanoi’s Fall. The weather is perfect with less humidity in the air. The temperature would drop by now, offering people a chance to take out their fleece and jackets. Moreover, there is this type of tree – “cay hoa sua” which only has flowers in the Fall. The flower has a very distinct smell. If you have the chance to visit Hanoi during the Fall season, make sure you ask the local people about this type of trees and where you can experience their distinct aroma.
Winter can be quite brutal because it is not only cold but also very humid. What makes it feel like the winter in Hanoi is colder than elsewhere is the fact that Vietnamese houses don’t have a central heating system. Many houses don’t have any types of heating at all.
Sources: wikitravel.org 
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